“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey

It’s 12 : 54  PM on day 2384 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read have breakfast, Skype with my cousin, cut my birthday cake (we’re having dinner at a restaurant with the whole extended family so we thought we should cut the cake early)    and learn a new word – Vociferous (vo·cif·er·ous) adj Characterized by vehemence, clamour, or noisiness: “A vociferous crowd.”

Today being my 26^th birthday I thought it appropriate to look back on the highlights of my life so far. Take a look:

Highlights of my 26 Years of Life

1. The day my sister was born (I don’t actually remember it because I was only three at the time but my life would have less love and light in it if I didn’t have an awesome sister)
2. The first time I held my brother (it was such an incredible experience I remember my sister had to help me support his head while I held him)
3. All the impromptu sleepovers and dance parties with the cousins
4. Raising $7 862 to build a well in Kenya
5. Raising $1 075 for the Not For Sale Campaign
6. Raising $1 088.84 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation (UK)
7. Raising $5 307 for the Malala Fund
8. Raising $10 317.04 for Smile Train (which is enough to pay for 41 cleft repair surgeries)
9. Reading the Bible from start to finish
10. Ziplining at Tsitsikamma Canopy Tours with my dad (ziplining meant so much to me because even the people who believed in me with all their hearts were apprehensive about me doing it but I bet on myself and went through with  it)
11. Being named one of Mail & Guardians 200 Young South Africans 2016 (I never did anything I’ve done to be recognized but it’s nice especially because people who read it might change the way they look at differently-abled people)
12. My first radio interview with Criselda Dudumashe (I was so nervous but I pushed through and spoke from the heart I spoke even when I felt like I was choking on my words (because I have Cerebral Palsy when I’m nervous my speech sounds like someone speaking through bad reception)
13. Meeting my first and last forever and always Superhero Catherine Constantinides (there are some people you meet who leave a heartprint on your life Catherine has taught  so much about life and how to be in the world but most of all because of her I know there’s at least one person in the world who shares my vision for a better world and my values)
14. Meeting Caryn Gootkin, Sarah Britten, Jacqui-Mackway Wilson, Stephanie Anne, Gaynor Young and Barbra (I’m blessed to have some incredible people in my life who’ve taught me so much)
15. Skyping with Laura Schroff (imagine talking to the woman who’s words you have been reading for the past four years I got to do that and what’s more amazing was how humble and kind Laura was)
16. Taking to people from all over the world over the phone (every month I call at least one person that I love or who has helped me in some way to say hi or thank you it has been one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life – when you touch a heart your heart is touched)